Have you ever fantasized about doing something unusual, out of the ordinary, over the top? Something that you thought might only be possible in your dreams, or in another life-time?

Maybe you wanted to climb Mount Everest, or become an Olympic ice skating champion, or an explorer in the Amazon?

Often the activities we become involved with as children and through high school and college are the ones that we care the most about although we don't pursue them as a career. Sports and music are two very popular activities that many people are involved with growing up.

If you played sports, perhaps you dreamed of playing in the NFL or Major League Baseball. If you played an instrument, you might have imagined yourself performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra or the New York Philharmonic.

Nowadays, you can live out your sports dreams and ambitions through fantasy sports camps, and now, with the Allentown Symphony you can fulfill your dream of playing in a professional orchestra with our new "Phantasy Symphony" program.

Now you may be asking, why are we spelling it "Phantasy" instead of the normal "Fantasy?" Well, if you have been following what has been happening in downtown Allentown, you may be aware of PPL Center, the new hockey arena that opened this fall one block away from Symphony Hall with the new hockey team the Phantoms. As a tribute to our new home team, we decided to borrow the first half of the team's name and thus we have "Phantasy Symphony."

But just what is this Phantasy Symphony program? Well, this is an opportunity for any of you who played an instrument in high school or college or beyond to dust it off and come play in a rehearsal and mini-concert with members of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. I will be conducting so I look forward to working with you.

Anyone 21 years of age or older can sign up to play and we are accepting all orchestral instruments. You will receive coaching with the principal players of the ASO, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Jan. 13, and get together for a rehearsal and read-through performances for family and friends, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Jan. 22, both Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown.

Perhaps you are worried that the music will be too hard? You can check out the music in advance by going to the Allentown Symphony website: AllentownSymphony.org. If you think it is your level, you can go ahead and register and download your practice parts. You can even select just to play one or two pieces if you think that might be easier in your schedule.

You are probably wondering what pieces we will play. Well, we have selected some great music for this event. Some might be familiar to you from your high school or college days. The repertoire includes: "Finlandia" by Sibelius; "Capriccio Espagnol" (Movements Four and Five) by Rimksy-Korsakov; "March to the Scaffold" (Movement Four) from "Symphonie Fantastique" by Berlioz; and the famous "Radetzky March" by Johann Strauss.

In order to participate, you just need to register (there is a $50 participation fee) and let us know what instrument and which part you prefer to play, download your music and come and join us for the sectional and the rehearsal and concert. If you have questions, you can contact the ASO Education Director, Stephanie Kocher, 610-432-7961, ext. 206.

I really hope that many of you will be inspired to get your instruments out of their cases and to participate in the new outreach program. It will be so much fun to play this music together and you will all make some new friends.

Music is such a universal language and as the Music Director and Conductor of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, I really look forward to meeting and working with all of you in our new "Phantasy Symphony."

Diane Wittry is Music Director-Conductor of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director (USA), International Cultural Exchange Program for Classical Musicians, Sarajevo Philharmonic, Bosnia; and author, "Beyond the Baton" (Oxford University Press).